Expert Analysis

• Despite SEC Climate Pause, Cos. Must Still Heed State Regs

  

  While businesses may have been given a reprieve from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's rules aimed at standardizing climate-related disclosures, they must still track evolving requirements in states including California, Illinois, New Jersey and New York that will soon require reporting of direct and indirect carbon emissions, say attorneys at Husch Blackwell.

• A Primer On The Trading And Clearing Of Perpetual Contracts

  

  The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission recently released a request for comment on the trading and clearing of perpetual-style derivatives, most common in the cryptocurrency market, necessitating a deep look at how these contracts operate and their associated risks, say attorneys at Moore & Van Allen.

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  Teaching College Students Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Serving as an adjunct college professor has taught me the importance of building rapport, communicating effectively, and persuading individuals to critically analyze the difference between what they think and what they know — principles that have helped to improve my practice of law, says Sheria Clarke at Nelson Mullins.

• 5 Areas Contractors Should Watch After 1st 100 Days

  

  Federal agencies and contractors face challenges from staff reductions, contract terminations, pending regulatory reform and other actions from the second Trump administration's first 100 days, but other areas stand to become more efficient and cost-effective, say attorneys at Thompson Hine.

• Planning For Open Banking Despite CFPB Uncertainty

  

  Though pending litigation or new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau leadership may reshape the Biden-era regulation governing access to consumer financial data, companies can use this uncertain period to take practical steps toward an open banking strategy that will work regardless of the rule’s ultimate form, says Adam Maarec at McGlinchey Stafford.

• A New Tool For Assessing Kickback Risks In Health Marketing

  

  The Seventh Circuit's recent decision in U.S. v. Sorensen, reversing a conviction after trial of a durable medical equipment distributor, highlights two principle considerations for determining whether payments to marketers in healthcare are unlawful under the Anti-Kickback Statute, says Elisha Kobre at Sheppard Mullin.

• Crunching The Numbers Of Trump SEC's 1st 100 Days

  

  During the first 100 days of the second Trump administration, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission brought significantly fewer stand-alone enforcement actions than at the beginning of the Biden and the first Trump administrations, with every one of the federal court complaints including allegations of fraudulent conduct, say attorneys at Dentons.

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  Adapting To Private Practice: From DOJ Enviro To Mid-Law

  

  Practitioners leaving a longtime government role for private practice — as when I departed the U.S. Department of Justice’s environmental enforcement division — should prioritize finding a firm that shares their principles, values their experience and will invest in their transition, says John Cruden at Beveridge & Diamond.

• Independent Contractor Rule Up In The Air Under New DOL

  

  In several recent court challenges, the U.S. Department of Labor has indicated its intent to revoke the 2024 independent contractor rule, sending a clear signal that it will not defend the Biden-era rule on the merits in anticipation of further rulemaking, say attorneys at Jackson Lewis.

• AG Watch: Letitia James' Major Influence On Federal Litigation

  

  While the multistate cases brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James appear to be based upon her interpretation of the effect of the Trump administration's policies on New York state and its residents, most also have a decidedly political tone to them, says Dennis Vacco at Lippes Mathias.

• Why Trade Cases May Put Maple Leaf Deference On Review

  

  When litigation challenging the president’s trade actions reaches the Federal Circuit, the court will have to reevaluate the Maple Leaf standard in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2024 Loper Bright decision limiting Chevron-like deference to cases involving statutory provisions in which Congress delegated discretionary authority to the executive branch, say attorneys at Wiley.

• Risk Control Tips For Banks With Cryptocurrency Customers

  

  Given federal policy shifts, cryptocurrency's presence within the U.S. banking system will doubtless increase, so banks should keep in mind key risk control considerations when accepting funds related to cryptocurrency transactions — and make sure they know their customers and the crypto industry, says Jason Noto at Polsinelli.

• A Look At Probabilistic Tracing After High Court's Slack Ruling

  

  Recent decisions following the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 ruling in Slack v. Pirani have increased the difficulty of pleading Securities Act claims for securities issued in direct listings by rejecting the use of statistical probabilities to establish that share purchases were traceable to a challenged registration statement, says Jonathan Richman at Brown Rudnick.

• 3 Change Management Tools To Boost Compliance Efforts

  

  As companies grapple with rapidly changing regulations and expectations, leaders charged with implementing their organizations’ compliance programs should look to change management principles to make the process less costly and more effective, says Liisa Thomas at Sheppard Mullin.

• How Trump Orders Affect Health Orgs.' Care For Trans Minors

  

  Two recent executive orders issued by President Donald Trump regarding gender-affirming care for minors have put healthcare organizations in a precarious situation, and these institutions should prepare for various implications and potential scenarios, say attorneys at ArentFox.